My Wines

My Cellar

Tired of boring old wines from Australia? No? Then you can probably thank Penfolds Wines. Penfolds, founded in 1844 by Mary and Dr. Penfold (Mary gets top billing since she took care of most of the early management and winemaking responsibilities), has completely revolutionized not only its own product lines throughout the years, but also many wines in Australia as a whole. The wine ... Read more

Tired of boring old wines from Australia? No? Then you can probably thank Penfolds Wines. Penfolds, founded in 1844 by Mary and Dr. Penfold (Mary gets top billing since she took care of most of the early management and winemaking responsibilities), has completely revolutionized not only its own product lines throughout the years, but also many wines in Australia as a whole. The wine produced by Penfolds was originally prescribed as tonic wines for anaemic patients, with the wine made from Grenache. By 1870, with 60 acres under vine, they were producing many more wines. In the 1920s and 1930s, Penfolds was known for its fortified wine, like many other wineries in the area.
1943 marked the start of a massive expansion for Penfolds Winery, with first the acquisition of Auldana Vineyard and its winery, and then the purchase of Kalimna Vineyard in 1945. By the end of the decade, they owned vineyards in McLaren Vale, Griffith, the Hunter Valley, and Minchinbury. Around the same time, winemaker Max Schubert returned from oversees with a completely new vision for the future of the winery. In the 50s, he started experimenting with the red wine he called Grange, which is a mix of primarily Shiraz and a little Cabernet Sauvignon, and by the 1960s the wine had spread across the Australian wine industry.
Not wanting to stop with merely one of the most successful wine projects in the history of Australia, Penfolds Wines started the “White Grange” project in the 1990s, leading to the immensely popular and publicized release of the Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay. Peter Gago became their Chief Winemaker in 2002, and he, along with three winemakers in charge of red wine and one in charge of white, continue the tradition of experimentation and evolution.
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Saturated ruby color. A seductive bouquet displays fresh red berry and candied cherry aromas, with complicating notes of vanilla, incense and tobacco. Lush, creamy raspberry and cassis flavors are firmed by dusty tannins and given spine by a zesty mineral quality. Becomes smokier and gamier on the finish, with the cherry and vanilla notes repeating. Nothing modern about this wine. The 2006 Kalimna Bin 28 Shiraz was made primarily from Barossa Valley fruit. It was aged for 12 months in seasoned American oak hogsheads. Aromas of soy, pepper, lavender, blueberry, and licorice lead to a medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine with layers of spicy black fruit, enough structure to evolve for 4-6 years, and a lengthy finish. Drink this nicely priced wine from 2013 to 2021. Gamy flavors intrude on the ripe berry core in this supple, generous red, but the fruit and spice character wins out in the end, and the finish lingers expressively. Best from 2010 through 2016. 15,500 cases imported. &...

94 Points - James Halliday"In the heartland of Penfolds' red wine style; blackberry fruit, ripe tannins and vanilla oak; needs time, but everything is in balance." 91 Points - International Wine Cellar "Saturated ruby color. A seductive bouquet displays fresh red berry and candied cherry aromas, with complicating notes of vanilla, incense and tobacco. Lush, creamy raspberry and cassis flavors are firmed by dusty tannins and given spine by a zesty mineral quality. Becomes smokier and gamier on the finish, with the cherry and vanilla notes repeating. Nothing modern about this wine."90 Points - The Wine Advocate "The 2006 Kalimna Bin 28 Shiraz was made primarily from Barossa Valley fruit. It was aged for 12 months in seasoned American oak hogsheads. Aromas of soy, pepper, lavender, blueberry, and licorice lead to a medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine with layers of spicy black fruit, enough structure to evolve for 4-6 years, and a lengthy finish. Drink this nicely priced wine from 2013 to 2021. "